<p>Before I ask this question, can you select roommates? Can I also select who to share my suite with? I want my own single room, but I also want to share a suite with my younger brother. Is that possible?</p>
<p>Haha am I the only one that feels like I am the only one not caring about this yet?</p>
<p>As an incoming freshman you can tell them who you'd like to live with and they try to put you in a room together, but your suitemates are random (and in my opinion, random housing works really well.. I've only known of 1 case where roommates couldn't get along at all and normally roommates can at least tolerate each other, even if they don't become really good friends).</p>
<p>As an sophomore, even though you have to live in University housing, you get a lot more choice - you can choose a group of 4 people to live with in as a suite in McCoy, Charles Commons, Homewood or Bradford. And if you want to live with an even larger group of friends, you can do a "group of 8" in McCoy - this year, I believe they're also allowing groups of 16 and 24, but you have to live in McCoy.</p>
<p>In addition to what tanman said, you can mix with older/younger students only once you are a sophomore, junior, or senior (freshmen can only live with freshmen). So you could live with your younger brother, provided you're willing to live in on-campus housing; you could get single rooms in Charles Commons or either of the apartment buildings (Bradford or Homewood).</p>
<p>What is considered the "best" housing option at Hopkins (I know this is subjective and stuff)? Is it Charles Commons-and is it available for freshman students?</p>
<p>i don;t think commons is avaliable to freshmens O.o not sure though</p>
<p>so basically yes to roommate and impossible to suitemates.</p>
<p>btw, i'm most likely selecting wolman as my fresh housing.</p>
<p>To answer those questions: </p>
<p>Freshmen can only put preferences for roommates; sophomores & above register in groups of anywhere between 1-4 (for the choice to live anywhere) or groups of 8/16/24 (but are then restricted to living in McCoy). So they can request suitemates/apartment-mates, as well. </p>
<p>Charles Commons is mostly sophomores right now, but juniors and seniors also had the option to choose to live there & a fair number did. Freshmen are limited to the following choices: AMR 1 & 2 (traditional dorms with communal bathrooms, singles or doubles), Buildings A & B (suites of singles/doubles/some temporary triples, with bathrooms in each suite), Wolman (suites of singles/doubles - 4 people to a suite, with a bathroom & kitchenete in each suite). </p>
<p>Preferences for housing's "best" options are pretty subjective. In general, Wolman is the "nicest" freshman dorm in terms of creature comforts, followed by A/B and the AMRs, respectively. But those dorms have perks (supposedly more social, closer to the FFC freshman dining hall/the gym), too. It's all about what you're looking for in a dorm. </p>
<p>For upperclassmen, the options of McCoy/Charles Commons/Bradford/Homewood are again somewhat subjective. The apartment buildings provide the most space/privacy, but Charles Commons is the newest. McCoy and CC both are suites, but CC has all singles and features common areas, like mini living rooms, in each suite (and is therefore more expensive). Homewood is farther away, Bradford is a little older. Most people suggest visiting/touring those buildings at the end of your freshman year (Housing hosts these tours) to see what you want; pricing and lease length (9 or 11 months, depending on the building) are also factors. But you don't have to worry about it till at least February of your freshman year.</p>